Press Releases

Michigan House says bare minimum is good enough for Great Lakes

May 18, 2017

Legislation passed Thursday by the House of Representatives would cede Michigan's environmental authority to the federal government and prohibit state leaders from doing anything more than the bare minimum to protect public health or natural treasures like the Great Lakes, the Michigan Environmental Council said.

MEC President Chris Kolb issued the following statement in response to the 57-50 vote in favor of House Bill 4205:

"It is disheartening that legislators keep putting forward this terrible proposal, which Gov. Snyder has already vetoed once before. The only possible explanation is that supporters of the bill believe politicians and bureaucrats in Washington know more than Michigan residents about how to make sure families here have clean air to breathe, safe water to drink and healthy Great Lakes to enjoy.

"This irresponsible bill would have us abandon our duty as stewards of Michigan's natural environment and forfeit our ability to put in place standards that protect public health. Particularly now, when the Trump administration is bent on rolling back environmental safeguards, it would be foolish to say that bare-minimum federal protections are good enough for the forests, dunes and freshwater treasures that are so dear to all of us here in Michigan.

"If there is one lesson from the Flint water crisis, it is that bare-minimum federal regulations are not enough to protect us."